Asked by: Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to introduce a phase-out of pesticides in public, urban spaces under local authority control, as has been done in countries such as Luxembourg.
Answered by Lord Douglas-Miller - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
It is for each Local Authority to decide the best way of delivering effective and cost-effective weed control in its operations without harming people or the environment. There is a legal requirement to minimise the use of pesticides in areas used by the public.
Further, it is vital that everyone who uses pesticides professionally is appropriately trained and utilises the highest standards of practice possible to protect the public and the environment from the risks associated with pesticide use.
This includes fully engaging with effective Integrated Pest Management (IPM). We are working with stakeholders in the sector to ensure pesticide users fully utilise IPM and reduce their reliance on chemical pesticides and increase their standards.
Asked by: Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (1) does not weaken domestic pesticide standards in terms of active substance approvals or maximum residue levels, and (2) does not undermine the precautionary principle with regards to pesticides.
Answered by Lord Douglas-Miller - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK has not lowered its standards in order to accede to CPTPP. All food and drink products imported into the UK, irrespective of the purpose for which they will be used, must comply with our import requirements and regulatory standards for food safety. This includes pesticide active substance approvals and maximum residue levels (MRLs).
The UK Government supports the precautionary principle. This is expressly a part of our plant protection product regime and is also incorporated into the Environment Act through the Environmental Principles that the Government must consider when making new policy.